NEWS
Jack White has spoken out against the U.S. Treasury Department’s reported plan to add President Donald Trump’s signature to all newly printed U.S. paper money. The musician described the idea as unnecessary self promotion, especially at a time when many Americans are dealing with serious financial hardship.
In a detailed Instagram post shared on Friday (March 27), White reacted sarcastically to the news. “Oh how humble!” he wrote. “But why stop there donnie? Why don’t you use your small hands to sign into law that your oh so stern orange face appears on the front of the hundred dollar bill as well?”
Historically, U.S. banknotes have only included the signatures of the Treasury Secretary and the Treasurer. Trump’s name being added would represent the first instance of a current president having their signature printed on circulating paper currency.
White linked the decision to the financial challenges many citizens are currently facing. He specifically mentioned rising fuel costs, which he connected to Trump’s military actions involving Iran that began on Feb. 28.
“TSA agents are selling plasma to pay rent while he takes the day off, cheats at golf, and bombs other countries for fun,” he wrote. “Gas prices are surging as a worldwide crisis that HE caused rages in the Middle East; it’s the perfect time to joke on fox ‘news’, visit Graceland, and sign into law to have your bloated, cocky signature on all U.S. currency!”
White also criticized what he sees as a lack of accountability from Congress. He described Trump as “a manipulative, loophole finding, egomaniacal, conman” and suggested that too much authority had been allowed without proper oversight. He also questioned whether rules surrounding Trump’s business related products such as branded Bibles, sneakers, and collector coins were being properly enforced.
“I’m sure Congress is regulating all that though and not just letting him break the law and profit from his office,” he wrote sarcastically. “We’re in good hands.”
White ended his post with a controversial suggestion, while also noting the legal risks, that people could consider crossing out Trump’s signature on new bills, using the hashtag #redactedbanknotes.
“Wouldn’t it be funny if someone started a campaign to black magic marker line out his name every time you receive a new banknote?” he wrote. “I think that’s against the law to deface U.S. currency, so I would never suggest that becoming a nationwide campaign…but is everyone allowed to break the law when they feel like it or just donnie?”
This is not the first occasion White has publicly criticized the Trump administration recently. Earlier this year he also reacted to the president’s decision to declare war on Iran, posting on social media: “Behold the leader of the ‘Board of Peace.’”
White remains one of the most respected figures in modern rock music. As one half of The White Stripes, he played a major role in shaping the early 2000s garage rock movement. The band’s hit “Seven Nation Army” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and earned the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. Albums such as Elephant (2003) and Icky Thump (2007) both entered the top 10 of the Billboard 200. His first solo record Blunderbuss (2012) also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. In 2025, he was officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The White Stripes.
The estate of Prince has shared a previously unheard recording of “With This Tear,” a track the late icon originally wrote before passing it on to Celine Dion in the early 1990s.
The newly revealed version, released through NPG Records and Legacy Recordings, presents Prince’s own recording of the piano driven ballad, fully written, produced and performed by him. It was initially recorded at Paisley Park in November 1991 and had stayed in the vault until now.
Dion’s interpretation of “With This Tear” was included on her 1992 self titled album, highlighting one of many moments where Prince created songs for other artists while holding back his own versions. His original recording feels more minimal, putting the focus on his vocals and piano arrangement.
The newly issued version has been given an updated mix by Grammy nominated producer Chris James, who has worked on several Prince related releases before. This drop is part of the Prince Estate’s ongoing effort to open up more of his deep archive of unreleased music.
The release arrives at a meaningful moment, just ahead of the 10th anniversary of Prince’s passing. Since 2016, a consistent flow of archival material including deluxe reissues, vault recordings and rare collaborations has kept his legacy active in today’s music landscape while offering a closer look at how much he created.
“With This Tear” also highlights Prince’s long established role as a songwriter for others. Across his career, he wrote and produced tracks for a wide range of artists, often shaping songs that evolved into entirely new identities outside his own discography.
The release comes amid growing attention around Prince’s archive in recent years. In 2024, a demo of “Baby Doll,” an unreleased collaboration between Prince and Kylie Minogue, surfaced online and showed just how much material still remains unheard.
While there has been no official confirmation of a larger vault project, reports continue to suggest that more archival releases could be on the way.
